


High Tide Rising

by ChilledLime



Category: CrankGameplays - Fandom, markiplier - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Merpeople, First Kiss, First Meetings, Fluff and Angst, Gift Giving, I actually got this beta'd, Light Angst, M/M, Merman! Ethan, Mutual Pining, Pining, Strangers to Lovers, Vacation, flustered mark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:42:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28184850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChilledLime/pseuds/ChilledLime
Summary: Pre-recorded videos at the ready, he was put on a ship and sent off to the nearest island. The ride really wasn't all that bad, although if he looked over the side his stomach would swirl in a way that made him dizzy.At one point, he had seen a fin splash out of the blueish-green water.He didn't look over the boat after that.
Relationships: Mark Fischbach/Ethan Nestor
Comments: 5
Kudos: 103





	High Tide Rising

**Author's Note:**

> Ethan's reference that I made can be found here:  
> https://chilledlime.tumblr.com/post/637864240148021248/went-for-a-gongoozler-esque-vibe  
> Tried something new with the posting all at once instead of doing multi-chapters, let me know what you think of this format  
> shoutout to the people who beta'd this and gave me feedback, you know who u r  
> Enjoy :]

He really hadn't been overworking himself. Despite what his friends thought, Mark was just ambitious. Making videos was _fun_ , it was his lifeblood, and taking a break for more than a day or so? The thought was absurd. 

But they had insisted, saying things like _your brain needs a break too, Mark; it won't be so bad, you'll have your devices!_

He saw it as being shipped off, his friends said it was an intervention. And yeah, if he _really_ didn't want to go, they wouldn't have made him. But they had seen the small, desperate part of him and had strong-armed any attempts at getting out of it. 

So a few days later, pre-recorded videos at the ready, he was put on a ship and sent off to the nearest island. The ride really wasn't all that bad, although if he looked over the side his stomach would swirl in a way that made him dizzy. 

At one point, he had seen a fin splash out of the blueish-green water. 

He didn't look over the boat after that. 

When they had docked, he and the few other tourists were directed to the main building where they'd get their information. Mark couldn't help but stare at the almost jungle-like fauna, or notice the way the humid breeze would sift through bright green leaves. He had never been to a jungle before, this was probably the closest he'd ever get. 

The building was styled in a classic beach-house way, with wide open windows and mostly wooden architecture. He followed the others inside, wandering from the short line and poking around. A brochure caught his eye, and on further inspection it seemed to be an introduction to the beaches and where he could observe marine life. Though Mark wasn't _planning_ on taking a single step in the water, it could come in handy later; so he stuffed it into the bag slung around his shoulder. 

"Hey hey!" A voice spoke from the desk, directed at Mark despite not having said his name. The man in question turned back around, hastily walking up to the desk, an apology on the tip of his tongue - but they spoke before he could. "It's okay man, I get it. You don't seem like the type to come out here often, yeah?"

Mark nodded, only a little embarrassed at how easily he was able to be read. "Yea- my friends gently forced me out here to get a break from work." 

The man hummed in understanding, handing him an information pamphlet. "Half the people here have similar stories. The other half are lookin' for something special. What's your name?" "Mark Fischbach," 

He typed something into the computer before opening up a locked drawer and placing a key into Mark's hand. "You've got cabin number 24, down by the rocks on the left path. Easy to spot, you can't miss it." "Thank you," Mark hummed, slipping the key into his pocket. "Enjoy your stay, don't fear the unknown too much!" 

The words stuck in his head as he left the building, following down the trail he’d been directed too. Most of it was downhill, and his suitcase almost rammed into him far too many times before he finally arrived at the cabin. It was extremely similar to the building he had just left, and Mark assumed that everywhere on the island was matching in a way. 

At least he could have a nice view during his forced time off.

After he had unpacked the contents of his bags, Mark sat down on the surprisingly comfortable couch and opened up the pamphlet. It detailed where to find restaurants, of which there were about 3, parks, observation decks, pretty much anything one would desire out of an island vacation. 

The beach was only a yard or so away from his cabin, but it also basically circled the entire island. Up the path he had come from, the middle trail opened up to a sort of commons; with small shacks selling merchandise and signs pointing to every attraction. Mark wasn't sure if he'd do much of it, but it was nice to know.

* * *

The man poked at his pasta takeout from earlier, sitting on the small porch and watching as the sun bled red into the sea. Salty ocean air would periodically ruffle his hair, Mark having grown tired of the sensation after a few times and pulling what he could into an extremely small ponytail. Aside from a few birds chirping, and the distant sounds of waves crashing against the sand - it was quiet. 

He set the foam container down at the table, pulling his arms against his head and staring at the sky. It was peaceful. Back in LA, there was never a break from the noise. Always a car horn honking, loud people passing by, bike bells jingling; it never stopped. Mark supposed he had grown so accustomed to the background noise, he had forgotten how the more peaceful sounds could blend into each other like a white noise machine. 

_Explore the beach._

The thought snuck into his head like a snake, and by the time he had realized what it was he was already getting up and throwing away the empty container. The desire to know and understand was something he had always struggled with, and being placed somewhere he was unfamiliar was a recipe for breaking a few rules. 

_It's fine. It didn't say anything about going out after dark._ Mark tried to assure himself, as he locked the door behind him and started down the sand. His footing wasn't great, and he almost fell down a few times before he made it to the edge. Staying a good few feet away from the tide line, he started walking along it. 

Nothing was catching his eye, and eventually the man grew bored and headed up to the small cliffside; seating himself down against the sandstone.

He observed the waves for a while longer, watching as the sun set below the horizon and stars flickered into view; small bright specs shimmering against the water. The faint lights of LA were visible in the distance, a quiet reminder of home. 

Mark set his hand down next to him, burying it in the sand. 

It shifted from under him.

He pulled his hand away in shock as it fell down a hole he had seemingly made, opening up into a rocky cavern about a foot and a half around. _Fuck._ Although the entrance was small, it was easy to see just what a massive space it opened up into. Against better judgement, he stuck his head in and peered into the darkness. A waft of salt hit his face, and he grimaced.

Exploration he wanted, exploration he received. 

Before the reasonable part of him could protest, he was fitting himself through the entrance. Once he got his shoulders through, the rest was easy enough. His hands sought out cool rock, and he crouched; just barely able to keep his head from hitting the top. _Well, here goes nothing._ The man pulled out his phone, turning on its flashlight and heading down. 

Not long after, it abruptly opened up into a decently sized cavern. Maybe about as tall as a two story house, buried under this tourist island like a dirty secret. Pools of sea water gathered in the lowest recesses, and moonlight shone through a large crack in the side. It seemed to be a little below sea level - but not enough that it would flood. 

Rocky ground was tinted blue, akin to the darkest depths of the ocean; light illuminated the shallow pools which allowed him see to the bottom with ease. The deepest one was maybe 5 or 6 feet down, and it seemed to be the pool directly connected to the ocean - as it wasn’t perfectly calm like the others. 

Mark jumped down from the rock he was perched on, grateful he had put shoes on before he left. It was even quieter than outside, a stillness hanging in the air like he had never felt before. _How the hell could something like this be unnoticed for so long?_ He didn’t have an answer. 

Sitting himself down on a mostly-flat rock, he reveled in the secrecy of it all. A place under an island seemingly never discovered before? It was like a fantasy novel. 

Maybe this vacation wouldn’t be so boring after all. 

* * *

The second night, something changed.

After Mark had gone back to his cabin the previous night, he had decided to bring down the camera he had smuggled past Amy and Tyler to get some nice shots of the area. He had made his way down, the same as before; and nothing had seemed off at first. Same rocks, same light, same atmosphere. Until something _moved._

A dark form sat in the large pool, its tail (?) swishing idly back and forth. The moonlight was conveniently at an angle where Mark couldn’t see shit about it, because of course it was. Quieter than before, he snuck down the path, camera hanging around his neck. 

When he was out of the tunnel, he set his belongings down next to the flat rock he had sat on previously. _Should he approach it? Scare it off?_ Mark had never encountered any fish that seemed to hang out above the water; the newness of it all short-circuiting his brain. 

It turned to look at him. 

The noise that came out of Mark’s mouth (that he would heavily deny in the future) was not dissimilar to a squeak, as he stumbled back to press his back against the uneven walls. _Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuc-_

Seemingly as startled as he was, the creature made an inhuman shriek before diving under the water. 

After his encounter with... whatever that was, Mark didn’t stick around for long; booking it out in a frantic race. Though somehow he _knew_ it wasn’t going to hurt him, the instinctual fear of the ocean’s creatures overpowered him. 

Panting, he burst through the door to his cabin and all but collapsed into the nearest chair. He had expected to get some nice pictures, maybe gloat to his friends - _not this._ It didn’t help that he was already tired as hell. If these visits to the cave were going to continue he’d have to start sleeping during the day. 

When his hands stopped shaking so badly, Mark pulled his laptop, and the little ocean pamphlet he had snagged yesterday, out onto his lap. The booklet didn’t give him much, outside of a general look at the marine life around the island. A good deal of sharks, rays, and seals but nothing even close to what he saw (okay, maybe the seal) 

Taking to the internet, he began scouring the web On the surface, there.. Wasn’t much, to say the least. Every search for _'Human-like fish'_ and ' _Are mermaids real?'_ was only met with articles of fish with human-like teeth or websites saying that no, mermaids don't exist. 

So he went further down; 10th page of Google down. He kept searching until he found forums of supposed sightings, blurry photos, and desperate eye-witness accounts pleading to be heard. It was weird. Mark didn’t go down those roads often, aside from the videos he made, purposely tried to find conspiracy theory videos on Youtube. 

People talking about meeting merpeople, what they liked, disliked; it seemed like an elaborate ARG that he just wasn’t informed about. But he knew it _probably_ wasn’t. He took the little bit of potentially useful information and seared it into his brain. Time would tell if he was right, or if he was losing his mind.

* * *

The third night, Mark sat on what was his now usual rock and waited. He wasn’t sure if the thing would come back, or if he even wanted it to. But something in his mind tugged him in its direction, and who was he to resist some sort of adventure? 

He really _really_ hoped it wouldn’t eat him. 

Water stirred, and his attention was drawn to the noise. Its head surfaced, followed by its arms as it propped itself up on the rocks. It, once again, wasn’t visible outside of a dark silhouette. 

“Hello?” He mumbled, cringing at the way his voice echoed around the room. It (They?) seemed to stare into his soul, unmoving outside from a head tilt in his direction. “Uh- I don’t mean to intrude on your.. Home? Maybe? But I’m only here for like another week.” Mark offered a limp shrug, tapping his fingers nervously on the nearest surface. 

They seemed to sigh, a noise not normally able to be heard if they weren’t in such an amplifying place. Then, they spoke. " _So te’ doh te melo fate meeray melofa sote blute.”_

“Uhh. Do you not speak english..?” They scrunched up their nose, clearing their throat before trying again.

“I don’t see why you have to spend that time _here.”_ The words were pointed, annoyance laced in every sound. Mark swallowed at the sound of their voice. It wasn’t as raspy as he might’ve expected from someone who might live underwater, instead more smooth, _like a sire-_

“Not a siren.” They huffed, seeming to prop their chin on their hands. Mark stared, mouth slightly agape; _could they read his mind?_ “No, I can’t. You just had that look on your face,” They waved in his general direction, “Like the one right now.”

Oh.

“Am I _seriously_ that easy to read??” He groaned, pushing hair out of his face. First the receptionist, and now this.. Whatever they were. 

A smile? Mark could see the glint of teeth in the darkness. “It seems so,” They sounded amused. Before he could think much of anything else, they were heaving themselves up onto the rock, a beam of moonlight faintly illuminating their body. _Mermaid. Merman?_

Their tail - _because they had a tail -_ churned water, the largest fins at the tip occasionally splashing out of the water. From what he could see, they were spiny; with thin webbing in between them. Not much else could be discerned, since they were sort of right in front of the light source. Oh well. 

“If you tell anyone, I’ll kill you.” Then they smiled again, like they had told a joke. Mark didn’t doubt them for a second. 

“Oookay- I wasn’t going to do that anyway. I just want to come down here while I’m stuck vacationing, maybe take some nice pictures.” Mark nudged at the camera by his feet, causing the other occupant of the room to screech similar to the previous time. “No! If you’re going to stay here in _my_ relaxation spot, which it is _mine,_ no fucking pictures.” 

Any amusement had washed off their face as they basically spat out their reply. 

Mark’s heart was beating in his ears as he slowly picked up the strap and set it back in the tunnel; facing away from them both. “Acceptable. Don’t bring it back.” They hummed, swishing their tail a little louder. “I’m not trying to get stolen away here,” 

The cavern was growing darker as the moon began to set, leaving them in almost pitch blackness.

After what felt like hours of sitting in silence, Mark messing with his phone and the stones littering the cave (He had half a mind to take some back, since he couldn’t have pictures now) and the merperson floating around the pool; the latter spoke back up. 

“So how’d you end up finding this place?” Their voice was unreadable, and they swam over to the side of the pool closest to Mark. 

“I was sitting in the sand watching the ocean, and the sand started falling away. Fuck if I know how that happened.” The man huffed out a quiet laugh at the memory. They made a noise of acknowledgement, and it reverberated around the cavern. “I guess that makes sense. You cover it up when you leave, right?” Ethan asked.

“Yeah.” Now that Mark knew of its other frequenter besides himself, the motivation to keep his discovery hidden was stronger. “It’s like, super fucking dark in here man; hold on-” He turned on his phone’s flashlight, angling so it was only hitting the ground in front of him. “Uh. I should probably get going, I guess.” He stood, stretching his legs and putting the camera back around his neck. 

“Don’t come back!” They called after him as he started back down the tunnel. 

But they both knew that wouldn’t happen. 

Once he was back at the cabin, Mark eagerly turned on the TV as a distraction for his brain. _Merpeople were real. And they were hot._ He ran his hands through his hair, letting them rest on his face. _Fuck._ At least he didn’t die. 

It was hard to feel guilty despite his base reaction instinct. Sure, they had most definitely been frequenting the cave a lot longer than he had. However, Mark was _also_ stuck on the island, and at the very least he was going to explore whatever he discovered. 

The small part of him that wanted to keep going back - not because of adventure, but to know this merperson more - sat in the back of his mind. 

Who was he to deny it, though?

* * *

They didn't even blink when Mark emerged from the tunnel again, watching with little interest as he pulled out a food bar. "I'm hungry, okay. They only have a small ass convenience store here." He grumbled, sitting on a rock closer to the pool they resided in. 

"If you get too close I'm going to hit you." "I know," 

Mark ignored them while he ate, scrolling through his phone. It was a lot brighter than the night before, details in the stone and of the merperson easier to make out. 

They must've gotten bored of the silence, talking again a minute later. "So what's your name, mystery man?" "I'll only tell if you do," They thought for a moment, tapping at the water before deciding. "Deal." 

"Mark. It's nice to meet you.." "Ethan." The merman smiled, pointy shark-like teeth now visible in the dim light. "You have a nice name there, Mark." 

The man in question's face flushed red, and he put the now-empty wrapper back in his hoodie pocket. "T-Thanks man, yours is good too." 

_Ethan_ continued to splash the water with his tail, clicking his claw-like nails against the smooth stones. Mark finally let himself have a good look at the other, since now he could actually see. 

The merman had fluffy brown hair, much longer on the top than it was on the sides. Pointy, elf-like ears with his left having an odd, curved bone (tooth?) hanging from either side. Small iridescent scales were littered around his face, shoulders, and when his tail met his waist. He wore a small black necklace, with a glimmering pearl in the middle and a shark tooth on either side. Four dark scar-like lines sat on the slides of his neck, probably gills. 

And his _tail._ Basically the centerpiece. (Of an admittedly gorgeous merman) It was long, longer than his upper body and with a base color of black; although in the light some scales would shine blue or white. Aside from the spiny tail fin, he had two other sets of similar size spread out evenly against the body. When the fins caught a ray of moonlight, it's webbing would reveal a bright navy blue. 

He was only a little breathtaking. 

"Am I really that pretty?" Ethan teased, dragging his tail fin against the water. Mark sputtered, trying to find an excuse as to why he was staring so blatantly. "No, no, you don't need to hide it Mark." He smirked, "I think you're pretty too." 

The boy seemed to enjoy the way Mark’s face turned beet red, resting his chin on his hands. They were almost at eye level, with him sitting cross-legged on the ground. It definitely wasn’t the most comfortable, but it was fine. 

"S' you mentioned this is your spot to relax?" "Mmhm," "I can see why. It's.. I've never seen anything like it before." He confessed, staring up at the jagged rocks hanging from the ceiling. Ethan did the same, following Mark's gaze. 

"There are a lot of places like this, where I'm from. But here it's quiet. I like my alone time too, sometimes." He shrugged, looking back at Mark. "Until you came along." The man winced. "Sorry 'bout that, but uh, there really isn't that much to do here. Beaches are okay, but I don't." 

Mark swallowed. "I'm not very fond of the ocean- no offense. There's so many things down there we don't know about, it's terrifying if I'm being honest" Intrigue was clear in Ethan's eyes, and he slowed his movements. 

"I don't blame you. I think some of the things down there would make you scream," The merman grinned. "But it isn't all that bad. Most of the things down there are nice." 

The teasing tone in his voice died off with his next reply. "If you don't like the ocean, why'd you come out here?"

"My friends basically forced me too, they said I was working myself to death. They're probably right." Mark pushed his hands into his pocket, pulling his legs a little closer to himself. "-And it's nice here, don't get me wrong. But I feel useless. Like I should be doing something besides just sitting around." 

His heart rate picked up, eyes wetting just a bit. He wasn't sure why he was here, confessing his feelings to some merman he met the day before who definitely didn't care. 

Ethan's mouth tugged into a small frown, and he pushed himself a little farther out of the water; sitting up the best he could. 

"I get that. Although there probably isn't anything near what you do, I- I understand." 

Mark's emotions were getting a little too overwhelming, deciding to change the subject before he actually started crying. 

Crying in a cave to a merman. 

"So. Mermaids. I never expected them to be real, how does that even work?" Ethan accepted the new topic, barely missing a beat. "I'm not sure you'd want to know, really." He giggled a bit - a sound Mark liked a lot more than he should. "Some mysteries are best kept secret, yes?" 

He laughed along with Ethan, scooting a little and pressing his back to the nearest rock. “Yeah yeah, keep your secrets.” His eyes wandered back to the other’s tail, every movement making more scales shimmer. “You really like that thing, huh?” It’s owner hummed, letting a little more of it out of the water. “Maybe a little.” He admitted with a shrug, allowing himself to look a moment longer. 

“Y’know, I figured when I’d meet a human they’d be a boatman, or some horrible researcher looking to whisk me away.” Ethan was watching Mark with unreadable eyes. “I figured they’d all be awful. But you’re-” He paused for a moment. “You’re alright.” 

“Thank you, Ethan.” The words sat in his chest, a weight pulling him down with every thought.

Familiar darkness was overtaking the cavern again, signaling dawn was approaching. It hadn’t even felt like an hour - and yet, it was time to leave. 

“You should go,” The merman murmured, pushing himself back so he was almost fully in the pool. “I’ll- Tomorrow?”

“Definitely.” 

* * *

It was already the fifth night. Mark’s time at the island felt like a blur of sand, stone, and humidity. 

“Hey there,” Ethan hums, lounging on the side of his regular pool. Mark shot him a smile, before sitting down on the ground a few feet away from the other. “How’ve you been?” He offered, watching as the merman drifted near. “Well enough, I guess.” Ethan shrugged, disturbing the water a bit. “Hasn’t been much to do recently. Your visits- uh, they’re kinda the highlight of my days?” He huffed. “I’m sorry, that’s so fucking cheesy. It’s just nice to have someone new to talk to.” 

Mark’s chest twisted, the air seeming thick. “I’m glad I’m not the only one. I honestly expected this vacation to be boring as fuck, but you’re not boring.” 

Ethan’s tail fin poked out of the water, splashing a few droplets onto Mark. “You stop that.” But even in the poor lighting, the man could see the merman’s flustered expression. “Okay okay, fine. I’ll stop for now.” 

He pulled out his phone, refreshing his email to make sure nothing urgent was sitting unopened in his inbox. A clawed hand came into view, pointing at it. “That. I haven’t seen those in a long time.” Ethan stated, retracting back. “It looks more advanced? Tell me about it.” A beat. “Please.” 

Mark laughed, turning to show him the contents of his screen. (What? It wasn’t like NDA laws applied to mermen) 

He stared at it with wide eyes, watching as Mark idly scrolled through his mail. "When's the last time you've seen a phone?" "Oh, at least 5 years? I don't interact with humans much." Ethan shrugged, "Some do. But I'm not usually one of them." The _exception is you_ was left hanging in the air. 

"If you dry off your hands, I'll let you hold it." He offered. "Really?" "Yeah," "Ookay, I just need to-" Ethan took hold of Mark's shirt without warning, tugging it towards him and wiping his hands on it. 

He was left staring as a million not-so-pg fantasies raced through his head. The merman gave him a knowing look, "You're so easy, Mark. Phone?" Ethan made a grabby hand motion, and Mark handed it over as promised. "Don't mess around too much," 

The other just hummed in reply, shifting a little more so his upper body was basically laying on the ground. 

“What are you smiling about?” Mark joked, the glow of his phone screen lighting up Ethan’s face. “Your.. Inste-gram? The photos are cute.” He hummed, returning the device a moment later. “Is that all you did? Look at pictures of me? 

Ethan smirked. “Wouldn’t you like to know.” 

Mark rolled his eyes, setting it down beside him. “It seems more useful than they were before,” The merman hummed, crossing his arms in front of him. “I’ll admit, while our technology is on par with yours, I’ve never seen anything quite like that before. It’s been a long while since I’ve seen basically anything new.” 

That sparked an idea in Mark’s head. _He should give Ethan something._

He took that thought and placed it in the “remember later” part of his brain, returning his attention back to the one in front of him. 

“What is it that you do down there?” Mark asked, drumming his fingers against his shoe. Ethan blinked, seemingly caught off-guard by his question. “O-Oh, really not much. I moved away from my family a few years ago, s’ how I ended up here. I fish, and do photography with what’s your equivalent of a camera.” 

He shrugged, “Among other things. But the rest isn’t as interesting as you’d think.” Mark tilted his head, thinking for a minute. “Well, you probably only believe that because you’re used to it.” The merman gave him a curious look, but nodded in agreement. “Yeah, you’re probably right about that.” 

“Rapid fire questionnaire?” He suggested, figuring it would get a lot of burning questions answered easily. Ethan grinned. “Go for it.”

“Are sirens real?” “Yes,” “Do they actually cause shipwrecks?” “Also yes.” “Lochness monster?” Ethan burst out laughing, hitting the stone with the side of his fist. “M-Maark! I don’t know! Nessie doesn’t live in the ocean!” “Oh, right.” The giggling was contagious, and before long Mark was laughing along with him. “Okay- okay, that was a dumb question.” “No kidding!” 

When he regained his composure, he continued. “Is the Bermuda Triangle actually supernatural?” “Probably, I’ve never been.” “Atlantis?” Ethan thought for a moment. “How’d you think we got fish features?” 

“That makes sense.” Mark hummed, having run out of questions. “I’m done probing your knowledge of the ocean… For now.” He teased, pushing a stray strand of hair out of his eye. 

A comfortable silence fell over them, as Ethan picked at his scales and Mark watched. “I’m having trouble figuring out why you like my scales so much.” “They’re shiny,” He replied. The merman took off a loose one, setting it in the space between them. “Here, I guess. M’ sure you’ll find something useful for it.” 

Ethan’s face had a pretty red tint as he avoided Mark’s eyes and went back to preening. Mark decided then he would try to get more of that as much as possible. “Thanks, Eth.” Taking the scale, he carefully put it on top of his phone screen. It shone a mix of blue and silver when tilted into the light - something Mark would definitely be messing with in the future. 

“One more question.” “Hmm?’ “Are there like- different types of merpeople?” Ethan stopped his picking and moved his attention back to Mark. “I mean, sort of? It’s not like we’re very different genetics wise. Y’know how there are different types of fish, but they’re all still fish? “Yeah, fish are fish.” 

“It’s sorta like that. Some have soft fins, some are spiny, you get the gist.” He turned to look at the crack in the wall, yellow light replacing the white that had been filtering in. “It’s getting late, I don’t want you to get caught here.” Ethan stated, watching Mark with something like remorse. “I’ll see you tomorrow night, okay?” 

“Of course.” 

* * *

He stood along the merchandise-filled shelves, looking for something he could be positive Ethan hasn’t seen. Most of it was all the same; cheap sunglasses, island-themed keychains with assorted names, tie-dye t-shirts with beach scenery. It was _boring._ Mark wanted to see Ethan’s face light up, and some sub-par cheesy item just wouldn’t cut it. 

“Have anythin’ in mind you’re lookin’ for there?” The man behind the counter asked. Mark shook his head. “Not really. I’m looking for a gift for my.. Friend. I want it to be something different, y’know?” He wasn’t sure where he was going with that. 

They thought for a moment, before going into the backroom and returning a moment later. “How ‘bout a miniature ship in a bottle? The cork top has a ring in case they’d prefer it as a necklace.” He handed it over to Mark, letting him inspect the contents of the bottle. It was small (Obviously) with such tiny miniscule details he had to squint to see. He was almost positive Ethan didn’t have anything like it. 

“I’ll take it.” “Perfect!” The man replied, accepting it when Mark handed it back and ringing the small tag up at the cash register. “Jus’ be careful there, that thing’s probably the most fragile item we sell.” 

He nodded, taking the small bag and wishing him a good day before walking out. 

Mark had a few more hours until it was time to go down to the cavern, so he spent it getting dinner at a restaurant, checking his emails, setting videos to upload. Tiring but necessary tasks. 

All he wanted was to see Ethan. It was hard to believe in the span of 5 or so days he'd become so enamored with the merman. The way his starkly inhuman eyes would twinkle when he said something funny, or how his soft brown hair would fall into his face. 

How his voice would pitch higher when he was embarrassed, hands fidgeting with his scales, or the rocks, or his hair. It was far too early for the big L word, but Mark sure was falling. 

He'd never been more grateful for his friend's meddling. 

Making his way down the same path he always took, Mark brushed away the large plant he had uprooted (Oops) and planted in the sand in front of the caverns entrance. The familiar salty smell wafted out as he started crawling through it. 

As he always was, Ethan was already there waiting. 

His gift for the merman was a comforting weight in his pocket when he approached the other. "Hey there," Ethan hummed, pulling himself onto the rocks. Mark sat down cross legged a foot or so away.

“You do anything interesting today?” He asked Ethan, staring down at the calm pool of water. “Not really. I rested for a while, caught some fish for dinner, and scoped out places for my next photoshoot. What about you?” 

Mark was unable to contain his smile as he pulled out the small bottle, showing it to the other. “Actually, I got you this. You mentioned yesterday not getting to see many new human things - so I figured, why not get you one?” Ethan’s hands were visibly trembling as he gently took the item, practically cradling it. 

“You’d really get something for me?” His voice shook, hope and joy clear on his face. Mark tilted his head. “Of course I would, Eth. It really wasn’t much trouble.” _The look on your face is priceless enough._

When he was done fawning over the ship in a bottle, the merman set it in his lap. “..Thank you, Mark.” 

The way Ethan said his name, filled to the brim with emotion, made his brain go haywire. “I’d give you a hug, but..” He gestured to himself. “I don’t want to get your clothes wet.” Mark took the other’s hand in his, running his thumb over his knuckles. “I don’t really care about that. But if it makes you feel better, let’s just do this for now.” 

“What’s your home like?” Ethan asked, leaning just a little closer to Mark. 

“It’s pretty nice. I wasn’t born here either - I’m from Ohio. But I guess you wouldn’t know what that is,” “I don’t.” “Thought so. But L.A. isn’t that bad. Most of my friends also live out here for one reason or another, and the ones that don’t I talk with frequently.” Mark shrugged. “I moved for connection reasons, it’s just easier I guess.” 

He paused, thinking for a moment. “I’ve thought about moving back a few times.” Ethan nodded, resting his head on Mark’s shoulder. His heart skipped a beat. “I’m glad you didn’t.” 

Squeezing Ethan’s hand tighter, he let the conversation drop. 

For a while, the silence fit over them easily. The boy’s almost-dry hair tickled at Mark’s neck, his head slotting with his shoulder like they belonged together. “What’s your favorite color?” 

It was an odd question to ask, but Mark figured learning the small things would be a nice way to spend the night. “Blue, probably.” Ethan hummed, shifting his tail in the water. “I’ve always wanted to change my hair color to blue. Not forever, just for a while. But I think it’d be nice, yknow?” He shrugged. “We don’t have anything that can do that. Do you?” 

“Actually, yeah. Some types get washed off with a shower, some stay until your hair grows out; and some just fade faster than that.” 

“Would you do that for me? If we got the chance?” 

“Of course.”

Ethan swallowed, looking down at their conjoined hands. “So what’s your favorite color?” “I like red. Couldn’t say why, though. I just think it looks nice.” The merman turned to look at him, inspecting his face for a moment. “It’d look good on you.” He stated it like it was fact. Mark flushed. 

Mark had handed his phone off to Ethan again, watching with muted delight as his fact lit up at various things. He even took a few pictures of Mark, and the water, then a blurred selfie of himself so nothing too inhuman was able to be made out. Ethan had gotten back in the water after complaining about drying out, and _how are my scales supposed to stay moisturized, Mark?_

Something must’ve dampened the other’s mood, as Ethan set down the phone and looked up at him. 

“How many days do you have left here?” 

Mark froze. 

_Fuck._

“One more night. I have to leave early as fuck in the morning, for some awful reason.” He scratched the back of his neck, avoiding eye-contact with the merman. “Shit, man." Ethan frowned. "I'm going to pretend that.. Isn't a thing, right now." "Okay." 

He fumbled with the strings on his hoodie, trying desperately to think of a new topic. 

"Do you have any pets? I don't think I've ever heard of a merperson having one." Mark asked, staring at the rocks in front of him instead of Ethan. 

He shook his head. "Sadly, I don't. There aren't nearly as many tamable animals down there as one might expect." "Ah, so it isn't all riding sharks like in the movies?" 

Ethan giggled, cupping some of the pool's water in his hands. "If we could do that, there'd be no reason to swim! I have seen your.. Dogs? I think I've seen those before. I saw one on your inste-gram. They're cute." Mark didn't have the heart to correct his saying of the word. 

"Yeah, that's 'm girl Chica. Love her to death. Tyler's been sending me daily updates on her, since I couldn't bring her with me." Ethan hummed, idly tapping the surface of the water. 

The rest of the night was spent exchanging stories in hushed voices. 

* * *

Ethan was wearing his gift. 

It fit nicely around his neck, hung on a black cord and pulled just a little shorter than his other necklace that sat more near his chest. The sight of something _he_ gave so proudly worn made his gut twist; Ethan definitely noticed the expression on his face. 

“You like that?” He teased gently, looking up at Mark from under his eyelashes. _Damn him._ “O-Only a little.” Mark grumbled, sitting down at the edge of the water. “Y’know, I promise I won’t hit you; you can put your feet in.” 

He obliged, thankful he was wearing shorts as he maneuvered ungracefully; splashing a bit of water onto the rocks. "Man, no offense Mark but you'd be a terrible merman." Ethan grinned, sitting next to him like the night before. "You're not wrong about that, I'm already shit at swimming on my own." 

"Maybe I could teach you, if you'd let me." He said it so dismissively - almost like he expected Mark to say no. But there was no timeline he would ever deny that stupidly wonderful merman. "If you can tolerate my shit and fear of the ocean for that long? Sure." He smiled earnestly, locking their hands together again. 

"It's a date then." Mark's palm was squeezed. 

Ethan's tail quietly wrapped itself around Mark's leg, akin to locking elbows with somebody. The scales were smooth, almost like a snake's. He could practically feel the flex of it's muscles, noting that it was probably stronger than he'd ever been. 

Neither of them mentioned it. 

"Are you excited to get back to work?" The merman asked, studying Mark's face. "Kinda? I mean I can't live off of pre-recorded shit forever. It'll be nice to have my creative outlet back to throw all my ideas into." He paused. "I'll miss you." 

"I'll miss you too. It's weird how in almost less than a week this-" Ethan nodded towards their hands. "-Happened. I'm not complaining, I just wouldn't have assumed in my wildest dreams any encounter with a human would end like this." He shrugged. "Sometimes that fact scares me." Ethan spoke, barely above a whisper. 

Mark rubbed circles into the top of Ethan's hand in an attempt to soothe. "If it makes you feel better, I feel the same. This week- It's almost been like a fairytale, I guess? I wouldn't change a thing, though." 

"I wouldn't either. _Especially_ not how you screamed so goddamn loud the first time you saw me.”

"Hey! I did _not!_ It was a perfectly average yell." The merman laughed, his face scrunching up in an unfairly pretty way. "I was afraid someone would end up hearing you, even all the way down here." Mark rolled his eyes. "It wasn't that bad." "Only a little. You're lucky you didn't do that again, or I might not have come back." "Liar" 

Ethan beamed. "Yeah, you're right." 

He felt like there was something Ethan was leaving out. A key component in the equation that was _them._ The other spoke before he could think more about it. 

“Was there at least interesting things to do on here? I know it’s a tourist attraction, but not anything else.” “God, not much. Most people must come for total relaxation, because there really wasn’t shit besides a few places to eat, merch stores, and sea-watching places. I didn’t do much of it.” “I can’t blame you for coming down here every night, damn.”

“Yeah, it was nice to get out of the house for a bit. Watching the sunset on the beach was nice. I don’t live right on the coastline, so my views are mostly just buildings. You can’t even see the stars there because of all the fuckin’ light pollution.”

“Seriously?” Ethan gawked. “That’s my favorite thing to do. Find a nice rock, lay back, and look. It’s kind of amazing nobody’s found me while I do that.” “It sucks. Space is one of the most fascinating things to me. One day I’m gonna drive out where there aren't any lights, just so I can see the milky way in full.” 

The merman was watching him fondly, and pecked Mark’s cheek when he stopped talking. “I love it when you talk about things you’re passionate about. You get a look in your eye.” Both of them were flustered at that point, but neither backed down. “But you totally should- drive out, I mean. If I could take you myself, I would. It’s not something I could describe properly.” 

“Thank you, Eth.” 

Ethan’s grip on his leg tightened a bit, and he pulled Mark into a hug; nuzzling his face in the crook of his neck. The other caught on quickly, wrapping one arm around Ethan’s torso and threading another into his hair. They sat there like that for a while, breathing in each other’s scents and taking everything they could from the moment. 

“I wanna show you so many things, Mark.” His grip tightened on the man’s shirt. “Hopefully I can, someday.” Mark swallowed, shutting his eyes. “I’d love to show you all the weird uniquely human things. Toasters, television, everything. Whatever you want.” 

Ethan pulled back a few minutes later, wiping his eyes. “That’s some sappy shit, man.” Mark licked his lips. “Yea, you don’t mind it though.” “I don’t.” 

“You really should be getting back though. I don’t want you to be running on 3 hours of sleep when you have to go back home, okay?” He glanced down at the bottle hanging around his neck. “If you have time, come back down here before you go? During the day.”

“I’ll make sure that I do.”

* * *

Mark crouched on his knees at the edge of the pool, watching with interest as Ethan swam up to him. “Hey,” He greeted, looking at Mark with a soft expression. “Dip your feet in again?” The man nodded, shifting with a grunt until the water was up to his knees. “I only have a few minutes, but I’m here.” 

Ethan was close. A hand wrapped itself around his ankle as the merman drifted even closer. Mark could feel his breath on his face, and his heart felt like it was about to beat out of his chest. Ethan swallowed, other hand coming up to cup the back of Mark’s neck, pulling their lips together before he could react. 

It was electric, like he had just pulled off a death defying stunt; adrenaline pumping through his veins and head a little airy. Mark tasted fish and salt, normally unpleasant flavors melded in just a way and combined with the fact it was _Ethan_ making it tolerable. 

And then it was over. “I’m sorry- I had to have one. I wish we had more time, Mark.” Ethan sighed, taking Mark’s hand so it was palm up and placing an object into it; closing fingers over it for him. “Here, I got this. I- I knew I had to get you something after what you got me.” 

Unshed tears shone in the merman’s eyes. “You have to get going- If you want to meet again.. Find me at the pier where you dock.” “Eth, wait-” Ethan’s hands left his, shaking his head. “You’ll miss your boat back. They won’t wait for you.” 

He was gone before Mark could say anything else, diving under the water and swimming back into the sea. The man sniffled, standing up and turning around. On the way out of the tunnel for the very last time, he remembered what Ethan had given him. Unfurling his fingers that had been clamped around it, Mark inhaled sharply. 

With a pearl woven into the top of it, milky white color contrasting the dark thread holding it in place. Small stones of muted color branched off of it, ending in two small elegant spirals. 

A bracelet.

The ride back was somber, to say the least. Even his ever-present fear of the ocean had taken the day off, leaving him feeling empty and hollow. Unlike the way there, he couldn’t peel his eyes away from the vast open ocean. Part of him hoped that Ethan would spring out of it. 

They were docking before he could think twice. 

Lugging his bags down the docks, he saw the waiting car of Tyler, who had texted him earlier to make sure the timing was right. "Have a good trip?" He asked, as Mark got into the passenger seat. “Surprisingly, yes.”

He left out the parts about Ethan, Tyler wouldn’t understand.

* * *

Wind whipped around him as he stood at the edge of the pier. The moon hung above him, shining down on both the water and himself. The sea air's natural chill made him feel like he was frozen in place. Mark pulled the windbreaker tighter against his chest, staring unseeing at the ocean ahead. Doubt curled around him. He wasn’t sure if Ethan was going to show up after all. 

He was pretty much certain that he would, up until he was walking down the soggy planks of wood. Something familiar splashed out of the water - a spiny fin he had watched with awe time and time again. 

“You’re here,” He breathed as Ethan emerged from the water. “Of course I am, Mark. Can we move to the beach over there?” He motioned to the sand a few yards away. “Oh- yeah.” 

They sat side-by-side in the sand, Ethan’s tail barely dipped in the ocean. Their hands clasped together, placed in between them both. “I was a little scared you wouldn’t show, actually..” Ethan murmured, breaking the silence. “That you didn’t feel the same.” 

Mark turned to look at him, moving a little closer so he was almost pressed against Ethan’s side. “How could I not? You’re.. Mysterious and funny and you make my heart melt. I feel like I’ve known you forever despite it just being a week. You’re.. So much. And that’s my favorite thing.” He replied, voice only shaking a little. 

“Oh, Mark.” The merman whimpered, pulling them together again. It was less frantic than the previous time, the security of knowing they don’t have to rush off allowing them to move slower. Mark felt like his heart was melting, brain unable to think of anything but Ethan. 

His hand came up to cup the other’s face, and Ethan wound his arms around Mark’s waist. They moved together in sync, letting the rest of the world fall away for now. 

When Mark had to breathe again, he barely moved an inch from the other. 

“The gift-” Ethan took the other’s wrist, holding it up. “It lets you breathe underwater. And I know you don’t like the ocean, but.. If you’d like, I would love to show you the reefs nearby.” He swallowed. “I- I don’t know if there’s a way I can get legs. I don’t know how we’ll make it work. But we could have this, for now, if you want.” 

Emotions were brimming at the corners of his eyes, and he let Ethan wipe them away. “Yes. I won’t lie to you, I’ll probably still be terrified. But with you, I feel safe.” Mark mumbled, meeting the other’s gaze again. “I trust you.” 


End file.
